Philadelphia 76ers Emerging As Pace Space Pass Legends

10 of 11

Feb 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) shoots against the Orlando Magic during the first half at Wells Fargo Center. The Orlando Magic won 124-115. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

The Future of Philadelphia Pass

This will be the source of highlight reels, of a spike in enrollment in NBA.TV subscriptions, and in the silencing of critics of the team.

Passing is that art form of basketball, the aspect of the game where spectators truly can be amazed, as though they are seeing a significant work from one of the world’s great masters. This season, the team has brought on three players who have wowed spectators by making circus like passes and making it seem easy.

But passing is more that getting the ball to a shooter, it’s also upon the shooter to recognize whether they can take the shot, or move the ball to the next option. In Philadelphia’s 2015-2016 offense, once the ball got to Jahlil Okafor, it went no further.

This year, that will not happen. Should Okafor be playing the post, the movement around him will give him the all important outlet pass – preventing him from trying to outmuscle as many as three defenders on his shot. That’s something new, and will force teams to play looser. When Okafor gets space, he gets points.

That ball movement does not simply benefit Jahlil Okafor, but nearly everyone on the roster with less than a full compliment of shots. Many of the team’s players last year were dependent upon a specific type of play to get them a good look at the basket. If defended, the team had minimal alternatives. Ultimately, with time running out on the shot clock, Ish Smith found himself making the shot out of necessity.

Next: Can Pace Space Pass Win Games?